Tides will measure between 6.6 and 7.4 feet at several local shorelines Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning

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Some major tides will hit San Diego shorelines beginning Thursday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) announced.

The super swells – dubbed California “king tides” or “astronomical tides” – strike the coast between two to four times per year when the gravitational forces of the sun, Earth and a full moon are all in alignment.

King Tides Expected Thursday Morning

For instance, in La Jolla the first king tide is expected to hit at 7:14 a.m. Thursday, measuring 6.8 feet. On Friday another king tide will come in at 6.9 feet at 8:01 a.m., and on Saturday, a 6.7-foot king tide will hit La Jolla at approximately 8:47 a.m.

Meanwhile, in Point Loma, the first king tide will hit at 7:15 a.m. Thursday morning, measuring 6.7 feet. On Friday, at 8:02 a.m., a 6.8-foot tide is expected and on Saturday a 6.6.-foot king tide will break around 8:47 a.m.

Massive Waves

At Imperial Beach, the king tides will hit at 7:24 a.m. Thursday, 8:11 a.m. Friday and at 8:56 a.m. Saturday.

Finally, the highest local king tides – measuring between 7.2 feet and 7.4 feet – will hit the shorelines at the San Diego Broadway Pier at 7:24 a.m. Thursday, 8:11 a.m. Friday and at 8:56 a.m. Saturday.

Got all that?

The NWS says the astronomical tides will bring a high surf advisory and coastal flooding advisory for local beaches. Both advisories will remain in effect Thursday through Saturday morning.

Flooding of areas such as the Ocean Beach Pier, Cardiff and Del Mar is possible.

During this time, the NWS says waves and surf at San Diego County beaches could reach between eight to 13 feet, with the highest surf on exposed west-facing beaches.

The California king tides will also hit other Southern California shorelines including Newport Bay and San Clemente.